Life is biological chemistry — biochemistry — a constant interaction of chemical reactions which sustain an organism and which only end on death. That constant interaction of chemical reactions which sustain an organism can be called its metabolism.…More »

Life Needs an Energy Flow All living things need energy to constantly fuel the biochemical pathways that enable them to grow, reproduce and move. The Law of Conservation of Energy states that energy can neither be created nor destroyed. It can only be…More »

Life Needs an Electron Flow Just as electricity is the flow of electrons, so too is life the flow of electrons. Chemistry is the study of the reactions between atoms and molecules, which are all driven by electron flow. Biochemistry is the study of the…More »

Life Needs a Carbon Flow All organisms are made of carbohydrates, lipids and proteins, which are needed for growth, reproduction and movement. These molecules all contain carbon, making them organic molecules. The Law of Conservation of Mass states that…More »

Metabolism An organism’s metabolism — the sum of all the chemical reactions going on inside it — can be precisely defined by its energy source, its electron donor source, and its carbon source. The Macro World People who study plants, animals,…More »